Falling Night in Palermo (Buddy Village Edition – Lambs, Wolves and Shepherd)

This is a child-friendly social deduction game based on the Greek traditional “Πέφτει η νύχτα στο Παλέρμο.” It’s a cooperative card-based game and like cooperative games in general players work together to achieve a common goal rather than competing against each other, emphasizing teamwork, communication, and collective success or failure. In this specific game players form a village community. Most players are Lambs (community members). Two players are Wolves (a Hidden Wolf and a Visible Wolf). One player is the Shepherd, who secretly learns who the Visible Wolf is and tries to help the lambs.

The game alternates between Day (discussion + voting to remove someone) and Night (wolves “steal” a villager). The village wins by removing both wolves; wolves win by outnumbering lambs. In the special end case where only the Shepherd and one Wolf remain, the village wins because the Shepherd can “free the lambs.”

Connectedness-first adaptation: even though teams can “win/lose” the round, the class also plays for a Community Win: staying respectful, including voices, managing emotions, and repairing after mistakes.

Skill focus

Primary Skill Focus

  • Connectedness

Complementary/Secondary Skill Focus

  • Emotional awareness, regulation and communication
  • Valuing people and nature
  • Critical Thinking
Age groupStudent numberDuration
8–10 years old (possible 7+ only with strong class bonding + very short rounds)8–28 (best: 10–18) (or you can divide class into groups).25–40 minutes (10–15 min. per round)